Fire and Ice
by NoNaMe19Kaneis
Summary: One-shot. Bart runs, discovers has nothing else to run to, and finds something else worth living for. Before he comes to future. His timeline. Tragedy. Death. Angst. The works.


_Some say the world will end in fire…_

Screams filled the air as the stench of blood flowed over his house. Gunshots could be heard in the direction the smell was coming from. He searched desperately for his family, looking over the dead bodies he tried not to step on as he ran, ran, ran through seemingly endless destruction. The power limiter dug into his neck, and he felt more restrained and frustrated than ever, like a lion trapped in bird's cage.

The further his feet carried him from his home, the stronger his sense of dread became that all he knew, loved, lived for, would be gone, out of reach, the moment he stepped over his nation's line. He looked up and saw army helicopters flying overhead. From which country? he didn't know and didn't care. They were all shooting indiscriminately. Alliances were a thing of the past, everyone was the enemy. The Light's subtle manipulation was so painstakingly obvious now. But the countries didn't want to admit they were wrong. Bart's world was filled to the brim with the greed and stupid, pointless pride. They were blind to what some of the remaining Leaguers tried to warn them about. By then they were too late. The Light didn't have to do anything now, the world was destroying itself.

In the back of his mind, he realized that only through the destruction of war, did he truly see equality in all his 10 years of life. Men, women, young, old, black, white, and death didn't care what your circumstances were. How much money you had was irrelevant, the color of your skin took no precedence over how fast your legs could go. The young received no pity, the old received no help, and bonds were truly tested when you were running for your life. Even so, the 10 year old ran through the battlefield, hoping against hope to see his family in the crowd than on the ground in endless sleep.

He tripped over a limb sprawled on the ground, scraping his hands and knees. About to carry on in a desperate attempt at escape, he glanced back and froze, meeting the eyes of his dead cousin. Soulless, pale green orbs seemed to say what was in store for him as he tore his eyes away and met the identical gaze of his mother. Choking on a sob, he realized he was kneeling in his family grave. Wally, his mother, his sister, Uncle Damian, Uncle Garfield, Auntie Artemis… it was overwhelming. No, no, no! Not them, not the only ones he had left! His mind flashed back to the battle that took away his father, and his aunts and uncles. They said they would come back! The only ones who kept him moving forward, who gave him hope when it was obvious that there was none, were laying on the ground with bullet wounds in their chests and limiting collars around their necks. They were gone.

Now it's only him.

With nothing else to travel on for, he resigned to lay with his family to await their inevitable reunion. So overtaken by grief, by the unfairness of it all, he almost didn't recognize the moment his heart hardened, his tears of grief turning to tears of rage. He thought about how none of them deserved a fate such as this, and, like a tsunami on a calm day, he looked over the battle in growing fury, in hate for the ones who did this. Standing up, he made a vow to avenge their deaths.

He had something to live for now.

 _...Some say in ice._

* * *

 ** _AU: I was reading one of my favorite poems and wrote this. Then I figured it would go well with this kind of theme and , Voila! This angst filled piece was born._**

 ** _If you want another one- shot related to this, say the word! But if not, tell me that too! Don't be shy, I won't know if you don't speak up._**

 ** _And regarding my other stories, I'm at a serious writer's block, so the chapters may be coming in slow, but they will be coming! They're not forgotten!_**

 ** _Here's the poem, if you're curious:_**

 ** _Fire and Ice_**

 ** _Some say the world will end in fire,_**

 ** _Some say in ice._**

 ** _From what I've tasted of desire_**

 ** _I hold with those who favor fire._**

 ** _But if it had to perish twice,_**

 ** _I think I know enough of hate_**

 ** _To say that for destruction ice_**

 ** _Is also great_**

 ** _And would suffice._**

 ** _\- Robert Frost_**


End file.
